


Girls on the Borderline

by nelfes



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: F/F, Loosely inspired by Macross Delta, for more info check end notes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-12 00:22:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9047246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nelfes/pseuds/nelfes
Summary: Rose gets roped into space idol shenanigans, regrets nothing.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tokokun44](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tokokun44/gifts).



> merry christmas terrin u nerd

She’d heard the rumors, of course. Rose made it her business to know all the latest news in the Cygnus system, even if she was currently stuck on the smallest pair of binary planets this side of the galaxy. It was a place fit only for tourists who could afford to take the tram from the scenic star port over the coasts of Althear-01 and through the business district of Althear-02 while avoiding the shadier parts of town.  
  
Of course, for a girl like Rose who had made her living the past ten years via swindling such gullible tourists the slums of Althear-02 seemed quite a cozy place.  
  
But not tonight. Tonight – with only the planet wide sirens splitting through the winter dark of the sky, everything Rose had gathered from the common rumormill to hushed business transactions came back to her. The alien virus known only as DIRGE sounded more like something out of an old legend than an actual medical condition. How could something categorized as a parasitic infection give a person doubled strength, speed, and endurance? But the talk kept coming in and with the entirety of Althear-01 in lock down right now, Rose was not taking any chances.  
  
She had just made sure Talfyrn and Felice were tucked safely away and was on her way to meet Eguille when she saw the first ships. Not merchant ships or the hover transports she was used to, these were military vehicles and the sight made her stop in her tracks. It was a momentary suspension of movement but it was enough for a shadow down a nearby alleyway to take notice of her. Rose bit her lip and flew down the opposite alley hoping to make it on top of one of the shoddy shop stalls there and up to the rooftops where she could get a better look at what exactly was going on.  
  
But just before she reached the wooding outcropping, a hand wrapped around her leg. Rose diverted the momentum of her jump into a kick that sent her attacker stumbling backward. She steadied herself against the wall to prepare for what was to come but couldn’t help but shiver despite herself. It was hard to see in the dim light of the alleyway but something was different about this skirmish.  
  
The man’s (for he had once been a man) beast-like howl only cemented her fears. She had heard about this part of the DIRGE virus too. The infected all shared a hive mind of sorts and once they were far enough into the disease they gained the ability to call for one another. Rose grabbed both her daggers and steadied her breathing but it didn’t help her mind now racing with questions. This man hadn’t been an Althear resident, he was much too far advanced in the disease – so the question was how had DIRGE carriers traveled here?  
  
And how many more were there?  
  
Rose couldn’t dwell on such matters right now. A quick slice to his neck and the monster was down but the mouth of the alleyway was already filling with newcomers. Rose made the jump to the outcropping this time just in time to see more DIRGE carriers surrounding their fallen ally. Their gazes turned upwards toward her visage and she fought to keep moving.  
  
The sound of a ship was just the distraction she needed. Rose found a foot hold in the nearest building’s stone walls and started to climb. She glanced down to see if any of the monsters had followed only to see a girl standing on the wooden outcropping where she had been a second ago.  
  
The ship which she had assumed was full of soldiers or trained rescue crews was up and leaving now. Rose stared as the figure beneath her raised what looked like some kind of lance in the air.  
  
“Princess,” she found herself shouting at the woman. “Trust me, you don’t want to fight these guys!”  
  
Rose was just about to start climbing again to prove her point when the other woman turned to her with a beatific smile. There was a flower decal in her hair that glowed like a tiny star (it seemed to be pulsating like one too now that she looked closer). It lit up her visage so that Rose could make out the military uniform beneath her long flowing hair.  
  
“I am Alisha Diphda of the Unified Cross Dimensional Task Force, here to aid you victims of DIRGE.”  
  
Alisha’s lance came down in time with the last words of her declaration. It seemed to send a shockwave through the DIRGE monsters. Rose was equally entranced, really, but not enough to miss the fallen body of the man she had previously dispatched rise once more.  
  
So the DIRGE really did have powers and stamina beyond those of normal human beings. Rose was about to shout a warning to Alisha when the woman started singing.  
  
Singing?!  
  
Rose let herself drop to the outcropping once more, intending to shake some sense into the other woman, when she noticed some of the monsters had dropped to their knees. Alisha nodded at her without missing a note as if to confirm her suspicions.  
  
Alisha’s song was doing this.  
  
She had heard stories of an all female platoon of the Task Force – the galaxy’s own guardian witches – but it all seemed like fantasy. Still, here and now Rose could almost believe magic existed.  
  
And if magic was happening, Rose was not going to miss this chance.  
  
The infected man who had attacked her before was sedentary now but still much too close for Rose’s liking. She used the lull in activity to jump on his shoulders, slash his neck once more, and then move on to the other monster behind him.  
  
With whatever sway Alisha had over them and Rose’s own skills, they might actually be able to clear a path out of here.  
  
Of course, that was when they all started moving again.  
  
Rose jumped to the ground and edged backward, fighting the slow moving horde off as best she could. They still seemed dreamy, almost half-asleep in their movements but then the one directly in front of her opened its eyes.  
  
She could hardly see a pupil in the bloodshot mess of its face. Her defensive pose came a second too late as the monster’s clawed hand shot out and Rose prepared for the worst.  
  
That was when Alisha jumped in front of her, arms spread wide. The golden haired soldier took a hit to her right shoulder but somehow managed to lift her lance again despite the deep cut.  
  
“Princess, why did you-“  
  
“Alisha is my name, my impatient friend.”  
  
The lance’s shockwave was buying them time but not enough for the two to grapple up the walls again. And, really, how was Rose to leave behind this valiant, foolish woman who just ran into the line of fire for her?  
  
“Well, seeing as we’re about to die I might as well introduce myself too. I’m Rose.”  
  
Alisha let one hand drop from her lance so as to take Rose’s in her own. The pain of holding her lance on her injured side showed but another beautific smile appeared on her face as she said,  
  
“We are not going to die so long as we sing. You have a beautiful voice, Rose. Sing with me.”  
  
Alisha’s voice came out even stronger this time. The fear and pain in her eyes contrasted with the love in her voice as she sang. Rose held her hand wet with sweat and watched as the flower on her head began to glow once more.  
  
At the next start of the chorus one of the infected started to push forward with more force. Rose supported Alisha’s weight as best she could but she could tell the soldier was weakening.  
  
Thankfully, Rose was a fast learner. She joined in Alisha’s singing as best she could, stumbling over the lyrics until she found the right rhythm. Alisha squeezed her hand and something inside Rose leapt at the feel.  
  
Something was happening. She could feel it, she could feel the song – it was a force itself that seemed to hang in the very air. It pulsated in time with her heart beat and Alisha’s. No, their heart beats were one and the same in this moment and with that realization came a rush of exhilaration.  
  
Rose could only imagine how they must look, two girls battered, bloodied, yet still grinning and gazing into each other’s eyes while singing in the midst of a mob.  
  
\- Or what had been a mob, at least. The DIRGE infected all seemed to have collapsed and from what Rose could see their features were starting to look distinctly human once more.  
She heard the sounds of plane overhead again and sighed in relief. Turning to Alisha she said, “We did it.”  
  
Alisha breathed in once and toppled backward, lance clattering to the ground. Rose caught her before she could join her weapon on the alley ground.  
  
“Hey,” Rose called out to her. “Princess! Wake up!”  
  
Alisha’s head lolled against her chest and she fought to remember the sensation of their hearts beating as one. She cradled the soldier’s slight frame in her arms and grabbed her hand once more.  
  
“You’re not leaving, Alisha.” She whispered urgently. Even as similarly armored soldiers came to retrieve their fallen comrade she repeated her vow.  
  
“You’re not leaving. I won’t allow it.”

 

* * *

 

  
Rose had never been to the hospital on Althear-01 before. She had wanted nothing more than to capture and frame the expression on Eguille’s face when she hologrammed to tell him where she was.  
  
“I’m fine,” she had said. “I’m here for… for a friend.”  
  
Somehow Rose didn’t think the other members of Alisha’s platoon would agree with that. They had taken her with initially so they could hear what had happened to “Lady Alisha” after she had apparently run off by herself. Once Rose had filled them in they were happy to drop her off at the star port, but Rose had insisted on staying at the hospital.  
  
Rose could be _very_ persuasive.  
  
It helped that when Alisha woke up she had asked for them all to get along. Still, Rose hadn’t been allowed into her room for quite some time and she couldn’t help but want to cause a little ruckus.  
  
As if on cue the cute black haired member of Alisha’s platoon appeared in the doorway of the guest lounge where Rose had been pacing. She had always seemed the most sympathetic of her group and she now gave Rose a bashful nod.  
  
“Lady Alisha has requested your presence.”  
  
Rose made her way to Alisha’s room, already having memorized the route. Alisha was sitting up in bed when she came in.  
  
“Sirel tells me you haven’t left my side since our debacle yesterday.”  
  
Rose laughed and came closer, leaning against the wall once she was beside Alisha.  
  
“I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. Especially considering everyone was so keen on getting me out of here.”  
  
“Sirel has always been a bit of a romantic,” Alisha admitted. “Overprotective too.”  
  
They fell into silence then. Rose’s eyes trailed over the bandage on Alisha’s arm and when she looked up again Alisha was staring at her. She felt her heart speed up.  
  
And, oh, this wasn’t like her. Felice and Talfyrn would laugh – and, well, perhaps that would be the end of it. It would really be for the best, after all. Rose let an easy smile rise to her face as she pushed herself off the wall.  
  
“Well, you seem to be in good hands. I have to say I have some questions for when you have the time, but for now I’ll –“  
  
“You’re not allowed to leave.”  
  
Rose turned around to find Alisha _smirking_ at her.  
  
“Isn’t that what you said, Rose? Your voice reached my Rune so clearly.”  
  
Alisha touched the flower in her hair and Rose became a little more confident she wasn't just imagining the intimacy of this moment.

  
“This is the first time that's happened and I know what it means, it means we should be partners.”

  
That imperious tone was too cute.

  
“You sure are used to giving orders aren’t you, Princess?”

  
Alisha’s face reddened and her tone was exasperated as she explained “I’m _Alisha_.”

  
Too cute and too easy.

  
“Yeah, yeah,” Rose said, walking away once more. “I know, Alisha. And I'll be back I just need to make a few calls, okay?”

  
“Rose!”

  
Rose hid her laughter in her hands as she closed the door behind her. She couldn't wait to tell everyone about all that had happened (abridged of course, she and Alisha had too much to go over for Rose to linger for too long.)

  
Felice and Talfyrn would tease her for sure but it would be worth it. Rose still wasn't sure what this whole partner thing amounted to but she once more thought back to their hands clasped, hearts beating as one -

  
Thought back to just now and Alisha’s flushed and furious expression -

  
And oh, she was screwed. Big time. But somehow she knew it would be worth the ride.

**Author's Note:**

> I love space idols and Macross Delta with all of my corny, femslashy heart. Title is a reference to Ikenai Borderline which Alisha is totally singing in this (look it up - it's great). Despite the references, this story is not a crossover and merely borrows elements from Delta.


End file.
